Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to objective 3, target 4 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05, whether increasing the number of modern apprenticeships (MAs) to over 25,000 by 2006 represents a change of policy from its target of 30,000; if so, why the target has been reduced, and whether the reduction has been announced to the Parliament.

Lewis Macdonald: The statement in the Draft Budget 2004-05, concerning the increase in the number of MAs to 25,000 by 2006, was an outcome of the 2002 spending review and was reported in Building a Better Scotland . This target was subsequently revised when the partnership agreement was drawn up, to over 30,000 MAs by 2006.

  The reference to the earlier target of 25,000 was a transcription error and does not represent a change in policy or reduction in the partnership agreement target. We are committed to increasing the apprenticeship programme to 30,000 places by 2006.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any specific funding allocation for local authorities to assist young people with autism to transfer smoothly from education to work-based opportunities.

Lewis Macdonald: A small proportion of the Learning Disability Change Funds (£16 million) provided to local authorities to implement The same as you? may be used in this way. However, information provided by local authorities to the Executive does not identify funding used for this purpose.

  The Changing Children's Services Fund supports better integration across services for children and young people, including at key transition stages. Specific allocations from the fund are agreed locally, but include services that will benefit young people affected by autism.

  Additionally, the Executive provides funding to Careers Scotland (£5.8 million per annum) to provide key worker support. The role of the key worker is to help people with additional support needs (which might include people with autism) make the transition to post-school.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have a specific post with the remit of assisting young people with autism to transfer from education to employment.

Lewis Macdonald: This is an operational matter for the local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Cancer

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients from rural areas who are fit to travel alone will be reimbursed for the cost of an escort travelling with them to hospital to receive information regarding a possible cancer diagnosis.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently two statutory schemes which allow full or partial reimbursement of travelling expenses of patients and, where medically necessary, their escorts, which are necessarily incurred when attending a hospital for the purpose of patients availing themselves of services provided under the care of a hospital consultant, namely:

  
(a) A means tested scheme covering the whole of the country, and
(b) The Highlands and Islands scheme which provides for the reimbursement of travelling expenses in excess of £8 without test of means. To qualify the patient must be resident or work in the former Highlands and Islands Development Board area. The distance travelled from the patient’s home must be 30 miles or more or involve a journey by sea of more than five miles.


  If it is considered medically necessary for the patient to be accompanied, then travel expenses incurred by an escort would be eligible for reimbursement.

Care of Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the duties of local authorities are regarding the care of older people.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local authorities have a duty to assess the care needs of older people. Any decision taken about these needs should be based on a detailed assessment of the individual’s needs and take into account their wishes. Where, once an assessment has been made, it transpires that the individual does require services, the local authority are obliged to put together a care plan to meet their identified needs.

Care of Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places will be required for older people with high dependency levels in (a) nursing homes and (b) NHS continuing care beds in each of the next five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: A range and capacity review of key community care services for older people in Scotland is currently being carried out. The outcomes of the review will include projections of the numbers of community care service users, along with the associated workforce and costs, at national level for each year up to 2018. Balance of care arrangements are a complex issue, and services are provided in different ways in different parts of Scotland. A number of scenarios are being looked at, one of which considers the dependency levels of older people in NHS long stay beds and care homes. A reference group comprising a number of independent experts has been formed to help advise and take forward the review, and a final report is due to be completed by April 2004.

Children and Young People

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that all services dealing with vulnerable and at risk children are working in co-operation with each other to avoid such children falling through the net of support.

Peter Peacock: In line with the recommendations in the For Scotland’s Children report, we are working with agencies to ensure better co-ordination across all services for children and young people, in particular for those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged, such as young people leaving care.

  The new cabinet delivery group on Children and Young People has identified key cross-cutting priorities to carry forward this work – on issues such as information-sharing and assessment, inspection and quality assurance, planning and delivery and workforce.

  The three-year Child Protection Reform Programme is developing a range of measures to help ensure effective and coherent support and protection for children who are at risk of neglect or abuse, including a Children’s Charter and national standards for child protection, which will apply across all agencies and individuals working with children, and monitoring through a joint inspection system.

  The ministers for Justice, Health and Community Care and myself wrote to the leaders and chief executives of local authorities, health boards and chief inspectors of police on 11 November asking them to provide a statement of assurance that they have reviewed current child protection operations, singly and collectively; they are satisfied with the performance of services, or, if not, have put plans in place to address weaknesses, and have robust quality assurance procedures in place.

  In addition we will accelerate the development or the introduction of multi-agency inspection.

Civil Service

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority areas it will consider as locations for its relocated departments and agencies.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is determined to ensure that public sector posts and the benefits they bring are dispersed across the whole of Scotland.

  At the outset of each relocation review no parts of the country are favoured and none are ruled out.

Drug Misuse

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any heroin substitution programmes that prescribe Subutex to assist in dependence withdrawal.

Hugh Henry: Buprenorphine (brand name Subutex) is already licensed for the treatment of opioid dependence. The Drug Misuse and Dependence – Guidelines on Clinical Management issued by UK Health Departments recommend that this treatment should be initiated by specialist practitioners, with supervised consumption. We are aware that buprenorphine is prescribed by some specialist addiction clinics in Scotland, but information of the extent of its use is not held centrally.

  There is evidence to show that buprenorphine is an effective alternative to methadone for some patients, and a study is already under way to test the feasibility of pharmacy-based, supervised buprenorphine consumption from the perspectives of patients, pharmacists and economic factors. This study is being supported by the Executive, and should report by the end of February 2004.

Drug Misuse

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of drug action teams is in the provision of drug education to school pupils.

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in each drug action team area have been visited by the team to provide drug education to pupils.

Hugh Henry: Drug action teams are responsible for the strategic planning and co-ordination of action to tackle drug misuse in their areas, including education and prevention work. It is for head teachers and local authorities, however, to take decisions on how drug education should be provided within individual schools, taking into account national guidelines issued by the Scottish Executive. In 2002-03, 99% of schools provided education on controlled drugs.

Drug Misuse

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether drug action teams have the power to require local authorities to allow them access to schools in their area for the purpose of drug education.

Hugh Henry: Drug action teams have no role in respect of the direct provision of drugs education in schools. This is a matter for individual head teachers and local authorities, within guidelines issued by the Scottish Executive.

Drug Misuse

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, women who are currently using the support services at the Time Out centre in Glasgow have a substance abuse problem.

Hugh Henry: To date only the non-residential aspects of the Time Out Centre have been in operation. Five hundred and twenty one women have so far been assessed for these services. Of these, 163, or 31%, were on methadone; 143, or 27%, had a heroin problem; and 80, or 15%, had alcohol problems.

  Of the 30 women currently making use of the service, 18 (60%) have a heroin problem. In addition 12 (40%) of the 30 women have alcohol problems, a number of whom also use heroin.

  The Time Out Centre is due to be fully operational from 16 December and will be available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. In addition to the day programmes, there will be a six bed detox unit and an eight bed supported accommodation unit, which it is estimated will be used annually by up to 85 and 50 women, respectively.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that children reach their full potential in education.

Peter Peacock: There are a range of partnership commitments that focus on helping young people to realise their potential. These include:

  
increasing teacher numbers targeted at reducing class sizes in S1 and S2 in maths and English;
reviewing the curriculum to increase pupil choice;
promoting assessment methods that promote teaching and learning; 
developing enterprise education;
taking forward legislation to improve provision with young people with additional support needs;
ensuring that gifted children have the opportunity to fulfil their talents, and
providing opportunities for those who wish to pursue vocational qualifications, and promoting enterprise education.


  We recognise that the barriers that stop young people from fulfilling their potential can be based in their home environment so we also have partnership commitments to: provide financial support for all 16- to 19-year-olds from low income families to allow them to continue their education; provision of breakfast clubs and study support outwith the school day, and helping parents, where necessary, to develop the skills to support their child’s education. Overall these policies are linked through the National Priorities in Education, and the School Improvement Framework. These are the vehicles through which we can work with education authorities and schools to help ensure that all our young people realise their potential.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the underlying principles are of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill.

Peter Peacock: The purpose of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill is to modernise and strengthen the system for supporting the additional support needs for learning of children and young people. It aims to ensure that the needs of children and young people who have difficulties, for whatever reason, in accessing and progressing in learning are identified and addressed. The bill proposes a system that will be less bureaucratic, will be more outcome focussed, will promote integration of services, encourage partnerships with parents and will provide extra safeguards for those with the most extensive needs.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcomes were of the Special Educational Needs Advisory Forum.

Peter Peacock: Discussions at the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Forum contributed to the development of Executive policy in a range of areas. These included guidance on the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000, the review of the SEN recording and assessment process, disability accessibility strategies, and the publication of Moving Forward!, setting out the Executive’s framework for support for learning.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Special Educational Needs Advisory Forum’s remit was not extended beyond March 2003.

Peter Peacock: The forum’s focus was on special educational needs. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill proposes a new framework for support for learning which extends beyond special educational needs. The Executive is examining how it can involve the full range of stakeholders, across the wider range of additional support needs, in the implementation issues which will arise if the bill is enacted.

Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been for education authorities to find alternative education for excluded pupils in each year since 1999, broken down by education authority area.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally. For 2003-04 onwards, the Executive is collecting a wider set of data on exclusions, including the number of days during which no suitable alternative education is provided.

Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time was before (a) temporarily and (b) permanently excluded pupils received any form of education in each year since 1999.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally. For 2003-04 onwards, the Executive is collecting a wider set of data on exclusions, including the number of days during which no suitable alternative education is provided, and the nature of the education provision.

Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many excluded pupils have been provided with alternative education that was not sufficient to meet their educational needs in each year since 1999.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally. For 2003-04 onwards, the Executive is collecting a wider set of data on exclusions, including the nature of the education provision during a period of exclusion.

Energy

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to energy companies about the rising number of disconnections.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The legislation and regulation of the energy sector is a reserved matter and the performance of the energy companies is monitored by the regulator, Ofgem, and also by the consumer watchdog, energywatch. We have, however, expressed our concern to the energy companies about the rise in disconnections and how the companies are operating in Scotland.

Environment

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many salmon died in the River Dee in Aberdeenshire as a result of low water levels during summer 2003 and what action it will take, including long-term reduction in river water abstraction and the provision of transit channels for fish, to prevent any repeats of such occurrences.

Allan Wilson: The Dee District Salmon Fishery Board has reported that approximately 180 dead salmon and sea trout were removed from the River Dee during the period of low flows and high water temperatures in the summer of 2003. Other dead fish were reported which could not be recovered, but no record of numbers is available. Responsibility for the protection of salmon and salmon fisheries in Scotland is devolved to the District Salmon Fishery Boards.

  The Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 will give Scottish ministers the power to regulate all activities that can negatively impact on the health of Scotland's water. We are currently developing new regulations for the control of pollution, water abstractions and impoundments, and building and engineering works in the vicinity of the water environment.

  This will include registration with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for all those who abstract water. SEPA will then determine whether that activity needs to be controlled in order to satisfy the environmental objectives for the relevant body of water. Where necessary, SEPA will be able to review the licence in order to protect the water environment as circumstances change.

Finance

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which assets were subject to non-trading capital consumption in 2000-01 in Scotland and what comparative information it has on the treatment of such assets in England and Wales.

Mr Andy Kerr: The depreciation of all public assets was recorded. The same treatment applies to England and Wales.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the inshore fisheries review, including the number of submissions to the most recent consultation and the likely date for the publication of a draft strategy and subsequent legislation, and whether there has been any delay in respect of the review and, if so, for what reason.

Ross Finnie: The strategic review of inshore fisheries is being carried out through the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG), the Executive’s main source of stakeholder advice on inshore fisheries matters.

  There are three key strands to the strategic review:

  
review of the effectiveness of inshore fisheries management to date;
development of a strategy and management framework for inshore fisheries, and
development of a plan to move from the existing system to any future system.


  The first strand focuses primarily on the general use of prohibitions under the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984. Twenty-four responses were received to a consultation on the use of the act, and the conclusions of that consultation will feed into the development of a strategy. We will also be having parallel discussions with regulating order grantees and applicants. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Scottish Natural Heritage commissioned a report on environmental integration in inshore fisheries management, which will act as the main environmental consideration of the review. That report was published on 3 December 2003, and the project’s steering group will make recommendations to SIFAG.

  On the second strand, sub-groups of SIFAG have been convening on a regular basis, supported by SEERAD, to develop a draft strategy and options for local management structures. SIFAG will consider drafts of both at the group’s next full meeting, which I expect to be in January or February.

  Following SIFAG consideration of a draft strategy and management framework, there will be a consultation with a wide range of inshore fisheries stakeholders. The extent and timing of any legislation will depend on the conclusions reached by SIFAG. There have been no significant delays in progress, and given the emphasis on stakeholder participation, the timing of the review is flexible to accommodate industry priorities and responsibilities.

Fuel Poverty

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of its fuel poverty reduction target, whether it is aware of statistics published by Ofgem on the number of disconnections broken down by energy company.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Yes, and we have expressed our concern about the rise in disconnections to the companies concerned.

Honours

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available any recommendations it or individual ministers have made to Her Majesty The Queen in respect of the honours system.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has made no recommendations in respect of the honours system.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3508 by Colin Boyd QC on 14 November 2003, how many cases have been examined since 14 May 2001 and how many marks have been identified and how many of these contained impressions that have been verified by independent fingerprint evidence.

Colin Boyd QC: Between 14 May 2001 and 19 July 2001 a total of 465 cases were examined and 1,341 marks containing 2,099 impressions were identified, all of which were verified by independent fingerprint evidence. Routine independent verification of fingerprint evidence was discontinued after 19 July 2001.

Local Government Finance

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the balance of funding review group.

Mr Andy Kerr: The balance of funding review is looking at how local government in England is funded. Local government funding is a devolved issue. We have made no representations to this review.

Meat Hygiene Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3077 by Ross Finnie on 21 November 2003, whether increased travel time and costs adversely affected the savings achieved through setting a lower hourly rate for the meat hygiene service for official veterinary surgeons in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The savings of 12.5% are net savings based on an hourly rate which allows for an element of travel costs to be included. Official veterinary surgeons are paid only for the hours spent at plant.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used when drawing up the list of priority areas for the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being.

Malcolm Chisholm: The priority areas and key themes detailed in the National Programme’s three-year action plan were developed in consultation with the programme’s national advisory group, over the course of five meetings from January 2002 to February 2003. This process was carried out within the context of the developing health improvement challenge document. In addition, the programme’s key themes of suicide prevention and tackling stigma were commitments from Our National Health and the report of the Millan Committee.

NHS Waiting Times

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently waiting for a first appointment with a consultant clinical psychologist in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available. Data on out-patient waiting, by specialty, are collected centrally after patients have been seen at a consultant-led clinic, and is therefore retrospective.

  Partnership for Care, which was published in February 2003, includes a commitment to improve the management of out-patient waiting by recording for the first time the number of referrals received for a service and the waiting time for patients who have not been seen at a clinic. Work on this commitment is being taken forward by the National Waiting Times Unit in conjunction with NHSScotland and ISD Scotland.

NHS Waiting Times

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was in each NHS board area from assessed and deemed ready for discharge to actual discharge in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally.

People with Disabilities

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the change in the method of benefit payments, what representations it will make to the Department for Work and Pensions regarding provisions in place to assist those with a visual impairment or learning difficulties who cannot key in pin numbers and wish to maintain their independence and what practical measures it can take, within its responsibilities, to assist such people.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Arrangements for the payment of benefits are a matter for the UK Government. The Scottish Executive is in touch with the UK Government on a number of subjects.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has agreed to increase its notional contribution of £110 million towards the Borders railway, as requested by Scottish Borders Council, should its business case test be satisfied.

Nicol Stephen: The business case is currently being considered by the Executive. No such agreement has been reached.

Regulation of Care

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many care workers have registered under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001, broken down by local authority area, and what measures are in place to ensure care workers register as required under the act.

Euan Robson: Registration of the social service workforce began on 1 April 2003. It is being phased in on a geographical basis by local authority boundary. Large voluntary organisations that have projects throughout Scotland will be phased in on an organisational basis. So far 451 workers have been registered.

  Application packs are sent to employers to distribute to their employees. They are asked to return their completed forms to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) within 28 days. It is up to the individual to return the form to the SSSC. The details on each application are carefully checked by the SSSC staff. Disclosure Scotland also run a check on each applicant.

Regulation of Care

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on Care Commission fee levels for 2004-05.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive is today issuing a consultation paper on Care Commission fee levels for 2004-05. It is being sent to a large number of interested parties, including local authorities and care providers.

  The financial memorandum to the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill set out a policy of introducing fees at full cost recovery levels in 2004-05, except for childminding and day care of children, which would continue to be subsidised. The Executive has reviewed that policy. In recognition of the difficulties which would be presented to providers and users by a move to full cost recovery in one step, the consultation paper proposes spreading that move over three years. The subsidy for childminding and day care of children will continue. The paper proposes the continuation of the current policy of setting fees for services whose regulation commenced after 1 April 2002 at full direct cost recovery levels from the outset.

  Comments are invited on the paper by 6 February 2004 in order to enable new fee levels to come into operation on 1 April 2004.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on any increase in road traffic from the Maybury roundabout to Turnhouse in relation to air freight and cargo and what plans it has to improve access for road freight to the airport freight section of Edinburgh Airport at Turnhouse.

Nicol Stephen: The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: Scotland  contains forecasts up to 2030 of the potential growth of air freight/cargo at Scotland’s main airports including Edinburgh. The impact on surface access will be dependent on whether this growth is realised. Any improvement in access to the freight section of Edinburgh Airport at Turnhouse is a matter for the local authority, in conjunction with the airport owner.

Roads

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans will be put in place to ease congestion on the A80 and prevent traffic increasing into Cumbernauld and neighbouring villages during the proposed upgrade of the road and what contingency plans are in place to prevent gridlock and allow emergency services access to the A80 in the event of an accident occurring.

Nicol Stephen: It is not anticipated there will be any significant increase in traffic volumes on ancillary roads as two lanes in each direction will be maintained at times of peak demand on the A80 during the works contract. As a consequence the emergency services should be able to continue to access the A80 as at present.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its decision with regard to the dualling of the A96.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2O-678 on 6 November 2003 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa .

Roads

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from North Ayrshire Council or Amey Highways Ltd in relation to amending the signage on the A78 trunk road at West Kilbride in accordance with the result of the referendum held by North Ayrshire Council on 1 May 2003; if so, when such representations were received, and what the Executive’s position is in respect of amending trunk road signage to conform to the option supported by the people of West Kilbride in the referendum.

Nicol Stephen: North Ayrshire Council submitted its designs for the amended signing for West Kilbride on the A78 trunk road to Amey Highways Ltd on 3 September 2003. Following discussions between the council and Amey, the proposals were agreed on 18 November. Amey has been instructed to arrange for the manufacture and erection of the signs by the end of January 2004.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3454 by Colin Boyd QC on 12 November 2003, whether it will now consider recording the number of cases in which evidence of the Scottish Criminal Record Office is disputed and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3454 by Colin Boyd QC on 12 November 2003, whether it will now record incidents when Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) fingerprint evidence is challenged and record, and publish, the number of cases where SCRO fingerprinting evidence has not been used by the Crown Office or Procurator Fiscal Service because of any unreliability.

Colin Boyd QC: Disputes over fingerprint evidence where the evidence of one fingerprint expert is challenged by that of another expert will be drawn to the attention of Crown Office.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the selection of fingerprint experts within the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO); how many such experts there are in SCRO; what the level of staff turnover is, and how many cases of disciplinary action there have been in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: A trainee fingerprint officer who successfully completes the advanced fingerprint course at the national training centre, Durham, may, on the recommendation of the head of bureau, be put forward for authorisation by Scottish ministers under section 280(5) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 as an expert witness.

  There are currently 34 fingerprint experts at the Scottish Criminal Record Office. The level of turnover for this group of employees, including retirements, is below 10% per annum.

  The only disciplinary actions, which resulted in the formal disciplinary process being applied in relation to fingerprint experts in the last five years, were in respect of work attendance-related matters.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it announced that it was no longer seeking independent external checks of fingerprint evidence provided by the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO); who was involved in the decision, and what criteria were taken into account.

Colin Boyd QC: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16832 on 6 July 2001. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa .

  I took the decision to discontinue independent verification of SCRO fingerprint evidence based on an assessment of the results of that independent verification process.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3509 by Colin Boyd QC on 14 November 2003, what the justification is of the Lord Advocate’s satisfaction with the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) Scottish Fingerprinting Service and its adoption of an appropriate quality assurance management system when, in the recent case of Mark Sinclair at the High Court in Ayr, the SCRO fingerprint evidence that was to have been presented to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service was not presented.

Colin Boyd QC: As a result of the independent verification of SCRO fingerprint evidence and the quality assurance measures adopted by SCRO, I am satisfied as to the quality of fingerprint evidence from experts employed by SCRO. The decision not to use such evidence in one case as a result of a challenge in that case does not constitute sufficient grounds to change my view of the quality of evidence from SCRO.

Scottish Executive Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the items covered under "other enterprise and lifelong learning" in each of the three financial years covered by table 6.01 on page 96 of its Draft Budget 2004-05.

Mr Andy Kerr: A detailed breakdown of the items covered under the heading "other enterprise and lifelong learning" in each of the three financial years covered by table 6.01 on page 96 of the Scottish Executive’s Draft Budget 2004-05 is available on page 118 in table 6.09 in the same document with a description of the purpose for each budget heading given on pages 118 to 120.

  This document can be found on the following Scottish Executive website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/db05-00.asp.

  Within the detailed table 6.09 on page 118 there is a miscellaneous heading. Further detail of the expenditure under this heading is in the answers given to questions S2W-3183 on 30 October 2003 and S2W-3948 on 20 November 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website:, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

Scottish Water

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding waste water and sewage disposal at Campbeltown.

Ross Finnie: As you know, officials contacted Scottish Water earlier this year in order to provide information for my reply to you of 3 March 2003 about the situation at Campbeltown. But since this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, the Executive would not normally have discussions with them about such issues. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to write to you about this matter.

Scottish Water

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that Scottish Water addresses on-going issues with Campbeltown’s sewage system following repeated flooding in the town.

Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for the chief executive of Scottish Water and I have asked him to write to you about this matter.

Scottish Water

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that Scottish Water represents good value for money to the taxpayer.

Ross Finnie: Value for money is ensured through economic regulation of the industry by the Water Industry Commissioner. Value for money continues to improve as Scottish Water strives to meet the efficiency targets set.

Scottish Water

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) manual workers and (b) managers are currently employed by Scottish Water.

Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you in response to your enquiries.

Sex Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are regarding the amount of time allocated for each gender to receive sex education in separate classes in schools.

Peter Peacock: The guidelines for sex education are contained within the Health Education 5–14 National Guidelines. These guidelines offer a framework within which education authorities and schools should develop their programmes and do not stipulate either the amount of time which should be allocated or whether there should be separate classes. These are decisions for education authorities. This is because in Scotland there is no statutory curriculum and the responsibility for its management and delivery lies with education authorities.

Smoking

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent on anti-smoking advertising campaigns and education initiatives this financial year.

Mr Tom McCabe: NHS Health Scotland was allocated £1.5 million this financial year to spend on anti-smoking advertising campaigns and education initiatives.

Social Inclusion

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how unmet need is measured in relation to (a) child poverty, (b) social inclusion and (c) closing the opportunity gap.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive measures progress in tackling child poverty, promoting social inclusion and closing the opportunity gap through the 29 social justice milestones, and the objectives and targets set out as part of the budget process.

  Resources are allocated to local authorities, health boards and others to promote progress with a range of objectives, including the achievement of these milestones and targets.

  The Standing Committee on Resource Allocation chaired by Sir John Arbuthnott has examined the implications of unmet need for the allocation of NHS resources. The results of this work are currently being considered by the Executive.

Social Work

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the recruitment and retention of social workers.

Euan Robson: We have introduced a number of measures to complement the action plan instigated last year. These include a fast-track scheme for 120 graduates to train as social workers within 15-18 months, an incentive scheme for eligible social work graduates to work in priority areas, grants to relevant employers towards the cost of student practice placements, a new Framework for Social Work Education, including a new four-year honours degree, a leadership training initiative for 200 first line and middle managers, specific grant to local authorities for training in the current year and an additional £9 million over the next three years for the same purpose. We have also provided £1.22 million to create the Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education, developing new approaches to learning and ensuring that training in the new degree equips new workers to be confident in their knowledge and skills and to work effectively with other professionals.

  As well as our on-going recruitment and awareness campaign, we are campaigning specifically to encourage school-leavers to take advantage of the new degree. In addition, I am chairing a national workforce group to develop a workforce action plan that will be supported by three working groups. One will be responsible for producing a national education, training and development strategy, the second for improving workforce information and intelligence and the third will support recruitment and retention, human resource management and organisational development across the sector. These groups will have substantial impact on helping this valuable workforce achieve the improvements we all seek.

Social Work

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether employers are responsible for the cost of the registration of care workers.

Euan Robson: The cost of registration is the responsibility of the individual in the same way that teachers, nurses and doctors pay their own registration fees. The register will help raise the profile of social service workers and increase public confidence in the services provided.

Social Work

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations received grants for 2002-03 under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 for the provision of services to disabled persons, stating the level of grant awarded.

Mr Tom McCabe: A 2002-03 breakdown of grant offers for the voluntary sector can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/?pageID=379 . This database includes grant offers for section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

Social Work

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what future planning it is undertaking, or has undertaken, in respect of future health and social care needs of older people with high dependency levels.

Mr Tom McCabe: A range and capacity review of community care services for older people, which will include a strategic review of the social care needs of older people with high dependency levels, is currently being carried out in partnership with health and local authority colleagues and in consultation with representatives from the social care sector. Its findings in due course will form the basis for the longer term national and local planning of future services.

Sport

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school sports co-ordinators have been in post since 1999 and what steps it is taking to improve school sports facilities.

Mr Frank McAveety: It is not possible to establish how many co-ordinators have been in post since 1999. However, there are currently in schools across 30 local authorities 355 co-ordinators involved in phase 1 of the programme and a further 264 co-ordinators involved in phase 2.

  Detailed decisions on the improvement of school sports facilities are for the local authorities who are responsible for the management of the school estate. The Scottish Executive is providing substantial financial support to authorities, through Public Private Partnerships and other procurement methods, for the improvement of the school estate, including school sports facilities. In addition to this £53 million is being invested in school-based PE and sport facilities through the New Opportunities and Physical Education and Sport Programme. Sportscotland can also offer awards through the Lottery Sports Fund.

Sport

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to tackle obesity through sport.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive is tackling obesity through a combined approach on diet and physical activity.

  As part of this programme, we are investing £24 million over the three years to 2005-06 to merge, develop and extend the existing active primary schools and school sports co-ordinator programmes to deliver physical activity for children at school.

  Sport can make a useful contribution to a physically active life and we are committed to increasing participation in sport by all sectors of the community.

Student Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government in respect of its proposals to introduce top-up fees for university students.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the Department for Education and Skills proposals to introduce variable tuition fees for university students in England.

Swimming

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities make provision for primary schoolchildren to learn to swim.

Peter Peacock: This information is not routinely collected by the Scottish Executive. However, an audit of swimming provision in schools was carried out by the Scottish Executive in 2002 and found that, whilst provision varied in 14 authorities, the other 18 authorities provided swimming lessons in all their primary schools. The results of this audit are held by the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25875).

Swimming

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that all local authorities make provision for primary schoolchildren to learn to swim.

Peter Peacock: The primary responsibility for the delivery and management of swimming provision within the curriculum rests with local authorities. However, following the audit of swimming provision in schools in 2001-02, Learning and Teaching Scotland has been commissioned by the Scottish Executive to further investigate local authority provision for swimming, to identify barriers to swimming provision and to suggest solutions through good practice case studies.

  Over the next three years £180 million quality of life funding will be made available to local authorities for initiatives aimed at supporting children and young people and improving the environment. £3,173,000 of this funding will be spent on swimming lessons.

Swimming

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the percentage of children who have learned to swim by the time they leave primary school.

Peter Peacock: The audit of swimming provision in schools, carried out by the Scottish Executive in 2002 found that 79.6% of primary schools in Scotland were teaching swimming. However, figures on the exact number of children who can swim are not routinely collected.

Telecommunications

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what planning controls, and other measures, are available to it and local authorities with regard to the deployment of 3G mobile phone systems.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The operators of 3G mobile phone systems are subject to the same planning controls already in place for the roll-out of the GSM network. That is to say work constituting "development", as defined in planning legislation, requires planning permission. As with other electronic communication code operators, 3G operators benefit from permitted developments rights (PDR), which grant a general planning permission across Scotland for some of their "development". Legislation introduced in July 2001 restricted these PDRs and meant that, for example, a specific grant of planning permission will be required for new ground-based masts. Planning authorities may also seek to control telecommunications developments through local plan policies and their policies on the use of council owned land and buildings.

  Guidance on the legislation is contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 19 and advice on siting and design can be found in Planning Advice Note 62, both entitled Radio Telecommunications. Both of these documents can be accessed at the Scottish Executive’s Planning website at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning.

Tourism

Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will use the hosting of the MTV awards to promote (a) Edinburgh and (b) Scotland as a tourist and event destination.

Mr Frank McAveety: The MTV audience is an important target market for Scottish tourism, and the hosting of the MTV Awards will continue to be used as part of marketing Scotland and Edinburgh to that audience. VisitScotland showed the Active Scotland television advert on MTV during the awards and on subsequent MTV programmes, and they will continue to advertise on MTV.

  VisitScotland work with Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board on the promotion of Edinburgh as a leading tourist destination, and they undertook a joint programme at the time of the MTV Awards to promote Scotland and Edinburgh. This included a programme for the 700 journalists attending the MTV awards to ensure both excellent reporting of Scotland and Edinburgh in their coverage of the awards and, in the longer term, increased profile for Edinburgh and Scotland amongst international journalists. It also included collecting photographs and celebrity quotes to be used in further marketing campaigns and promotional opportunities.

  EventScotland is using the success of the MTV awards to increase the reputation of Scotland and Edinburgh as an events destination. For example, the "best ever host" award which has been presented by MTV to Scotland and Edinburgh, footage of the awards and quotes from MTV Executives are being used in EventScotland promotional materials.

UK Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of Her Majesty's Government’s draft Civil Contingencies Bill.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the implications for devolved matters in Scotland of its legislative programme. This contact reflects the approach, set out in Devolution Guidance Note 1 in accordance with the principles set out in the memorandum of understanding, that the administrations normally consult each other from an early stage on the development of relevant legislative proposals.

UK Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of Her Majesty's Government’s draft Gambling Bill.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the implications for devolved matters in Scotland of its legislative programme. This contact reflects the approach, set out in Devolution Guidance Note 1 in accordance with the principles set out in the memorandum of understanding, that the administrations normally consult each other from an early stage on the development of relevant legislative proposals.

UK Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of Her Majesty's Government’s draft Nuclear Sites and Radioactive Substances Bill.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the implications for devolved matters in Scotland of its legislative programme. This contact reflects the approach, set out in Devolution Guidance Note 1 in accordance with the principles set out in the memorandum of understanding, that the administrations normally consult each other from an early stage on the development of relevant legislative proposals.

  It should be noted, in connection with this question and question S2W-4368, that a single Energy Bill is proposed rather than separate Bills on Nuclear Sites and Radioactive Substances and Electricity (Trading and Transmission).

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

UK Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of Her Majesty’s Government’s draft Electricity (Trading and Transmission) Bill.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the implications for devolved matters in Scotland of its legislative programme. This contact reflects the approach, set out in Devolution Guidance Note 1 in accordance with the principles set out in the Memorandum of Understanding, that the administrations normally consult each other from an early stage on the development of relevant legislative proposals.

  It should be noted, in connection with this question and question S2W-4328 answered on 15 December 2003, that a single energy bill is proposed rather than separate bills on nuclear sites and radioactive substances and electricity (trading and transmission).

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

UK Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of Her Majesty’s Government’s draft Corruption Bill.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the implications for devolved matters in Scotland of its legislative programme. This contact reflects the approach, set out in Devolution Guidance Note 1 in accordance with the principles set out in the Memorandum of Understanding, that the administrations normally consult each other from an early stage on the development of relevant legislative proposals.

Water Charges

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the points raised by Jim and Margaret Cuthbert in their letter in The Scotsman on 25 November 2003; how much borrowing the water and sewerage industry could have undertaken under the system of financial control in 2001; whether the industry could have borrowed up to around £260 million in 2003-04 without breaching its resource accounting limit, and whether there were mistakes in the commissioning letter.

Ross Finnie: I have already responded to the points made by Jim and Margaret Cuthbert in the The Scotsman prior to the 25 November. I do not believe their letter of 25 November raises any significant new points.

  In 2001-02, in accordance with the rules governing public expenditure, limits were applied to the capital and resource budgets, not borrowing. For 2003-04, following a change in the rules, public expenditure for public corporations now scores net new borrowing and grants. £250.7 million is, therefore, available.

  No mistakes were made in the commissioning letter for the strategic review of charges 2002-06.

Water Charges

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4238 by Ross Finnie on 3 December 2003, what consultations there were between it and the Water Industry Commissioner prior to the approval of the charging scheme with regard to determining what level of charge increases would be set.

Ross Finnie: No consultations between the Scottish Executive and Water Industry Commissioner were necessary as agreement on a scheme of charges was reached between Scottish Water and the Water Industry Commissioner.

Water Safety

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to questions S1W-22912 and S2W-22913 by Ross Finnie on 22 February 2002, what steps are being taken to address any continuing risks to the Glasgow drinking water supply from cryptosporidium and, in light of any such risks, what justification there is for any delays in the construction works commencing.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Water has made considerable effort to reduce the risk of cryptosporidium in the Glasgow drinking water supply, including improving drainage; improving surface water and area watercourses above the aqueduct which pose the greatest risk; installing kerbs and ramps to prevent surface water running off the road into Mugdock reservoir; cleaning outlets, drains, and culverts, and improving the distribution network. Scottish Water is also having on-going discussions with Mugdock Country Park, Scottish Natural Heritage and local residents about drainage matters, as well as continuing work to deal with those watercourses and parts of the distribution network identified as being lower risk.

  Since planning permission was granted, Scottish Water has been working closely with the council to finalise the conditions of the application. This has taken time because of the number of these conditions. Parallel to this, Scottish Water has been progressing land acquisition matters for the treatment works, including promotion of a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

  Seventeen objections, including one statutory objection, to the CPO have been lodged with Scottish ministers. If the statutory objection is maintained, a public local inquiry must be held to recommend whether ministers should, or should not, confirm the order.